Shake and Bake 72: Riding the Rhythm

Shake and Bakes are my quarterly check-ins (CHICKENS!). They used to be weekly – but this year they are happening in line with the moon. I use these posts to … shake out the happenings of my work and my  life in general in an attempt to Shake off the bad and Bake in the good. It’s about … gratitude, paying attention and now..living by the moon.

~~o~~ New Ice Going Out Moon ~~o~~

April’s Moon is known as:
Planter’s Moon (Colonial America)
Flower Moon (Cherokee)
Wildcat  Moon  (Choctaw)
Growing Moon (Celtic)
Seed Moon (Medieval England  And Wiccan)
Awakening Moon  (Neo-Pagan)
Pink Moon (Algonquin)
Egg Moon (English)

For me, this year, I believe it will be Ice Going Out Moon (as November’s moon was Ice Coming In). I hope the pink moss or wild phlox will return.  I hope the grass will sprout. But mostly I hope the river will MELT… and that her flow will fill my eyes and ears again.

As I sat outside today, contemplating this new moon and what my intentions might be, I heard a loud and rhythmic knocking.  There was a lovely huge woodpecker in the big tree out by my studio.

Woodpecker calls us to pay attention… to keep our eyes and ears and soul open to new opportunities presenting themselves OR to seeing the opportunities already present.  To listen close to subtle energies and to trust our intuition.  To look at projects in new and creative ways in order to breathe new life into them. http://spirit-animals.com/woodpecker/

Woodpeckers are sacred to Zeus and to Mars – which made me smile as this new moon is in…. ARIES.  They are grand at overcoming obstacles and breaking THROUGH things by sheer determination.

Jung saw woodpeckers as:

…a symbol of a return to the womb of creativity. In this observation the tree is symbolic of a womb; earthy, grounded, sturdy and secure. The woodpecker’s home within the tree is analogous of a fierce determination to return and protect that which is sacred to us.

When this bird comes pecking, it is a call for us to return to our roots, back to the womb of our ideas and use our intellect and discernment to follow through with our plans.

From: http://www.whats-your-sign.com/symbolic-meaning-of-woodpecker.html

It is also said that “Shamans can ride the drumbeats of the Woodpecker’s rhythm into another dimension, space and time.” (http://www.linsdomain.com/totems/pages/woodpecker.htm)

All this sounds pretty darned good to me – considering where I am at with the new draft of Sanctuary.  A clear call to keep working, to ride the rhythm and to trust my intuition.

After the Woodpecker’s visit, I went inside for my afternoon Sit and another message landed.  I’ve been working on … not judging my sits.  Just doing them and being content to practice practice practice. Not seeing one Sit as “better” than another.  I am also still very conscious of noticing what sensations are there – not wishing for OTHER sensations or trying to manipulate the sensations just… becoming aware of the existing sensations.

This came to me very strongly today as a seemingly simple but possibly very powerful intention for this Moonths LIVING.

To simply show up each day and see and hear and taste and smell and … BE with whatever the day offers up.

So that’s what I’m gonna do.

 

~~o~~

 Intentions for the New Moon

Θ (theta) earth – home – touch

• Step outside each day.  Walk the land.  Pay attention.

 

Φ (phi) air – relationships – scent

• Sniff a lot.  Breathe in the changes as the season turns.

 

Χ (chi) fire – work – vision

• Show up to the page.  Find the fire and the flow and go with it.
• Work with the dreams and the Watcher Clan.  Trust the Bird (s).

 

Ξ (ksi) water – health – taste

• Taste your food.  Eat slowly.  Eat well.

 

Ψ (psi) quintessence – spirit – hearing/listening

• Listen (and watch) for the animals this month.  See who comes and what they bring.

 

~~o~~

And, with that… we bid farewell to Snowy March and welcome April in all her Melting Glory.

I made another discovery today.  A musician named Nick Drake who’s last album was called Pink Moon.  Sadly, Nick suffered from depression and Pink Moon was his last album and Wikipedia says “On 25 November 1974, Drake died from an overdose of amitriptyline, a prescribed antidepressant; he was 26 years old. Whether his death was an accident or suicide has never been resolved.”

We lose so many talented artists to the dark.  Breaks my heart.

Here’s Pink Moon…

You can find the entire album over HERE.

Thanks for popping by.

Sending you wishes for a wonderful April.

Go easy ~p